702
JllSTOiiY 01' I-NDIA.
[booK III.
A.D. 1766
('iiiiduct (if the officers.
1-esign at any time without giving a year's notice. Tiie second brigade, tliough the last to join the combination, ap[)ears to have been the most reluctant to al)andon it. The greater pait of the troops composmg it iiad been marched above lOO miles beyond Allahabad, and were watching the movements of 00,000 Mahrattas who had arrived at Calpee, under the command of Balajee Rao. Tiic enemy being thus in siglit, the British officers were bound for the time at leasi to have reserved their grievances. Instead of this honourable course, tliey took, advantage of their position, and sought to extort a compliance with theii- demands, by tendering their resignations in a body with only two exceptions. Those who resigned immediately were sent off to Calcutta ; the others who resigned prospectively were glad before the arrival of the period which they had fixed to be permitted to retrace their steps. The officers of the European regi- ment in garrison at Allahabad were not so easily intimidated, and did not vield
Fort of Allahabad. — From Hod-'e's Select Views In India.
Ijeiiiency of tlie sentences.
till a battalion of sepoys arrived from the camp, having performed a march of ! 04 miles in fifty-four hours.
The mutiny was now suppressed mainly through the indomitable firmness which Clive manifested in liis own person, and was able to transfuse into al 1 who acted immediately under him. It only remained to inffict punishment on those who, from their rank or their violence, were regarded as the most criminal. From the very first Clive had declared that the law must take its course, and that the ringleaders at least would suffer death. Lenient measures, however, prevailed. Only six officers were tried, and though they were all found guilty of mutiny no capital sentence was pronounced. Clive's sense of discipline was thus very imperfectly satisfied ; but a defect had been discovered m the mutiny act for the Company's service, making it doubtful if the proceedings under it were legally valid, and it was therefore wisely resolved to lean to the side of mercy. On this ground the mildness of the sentences pronounced by the court- martial can be easily justified. It is more difficult to justify the conduct of the
